CLEARWATER BEACH, Fla. — Clearwater Beach Bar, formerly known as Jamminz Beach Bar, has reopened after back-to-back hurricanes caused significant damage.
The beach bar on Mandalay Avenue closed after the hurricanes in 2024.
Peter Czajkowski, owner of Clearwater Beach Bar, said his security cameras captured the damage in real time.
"I was losing everything right infront of my eyes, watching it happen on camera because cameras were the last thing that went out because they're up high," he said.
He said it took nearly one year to see any insurance money.
"Planning didn't start really until 12 months in and then it was about three months of planning, architecture plans, mechanical engineering, plumbing, all of it and then you start to build out and then you got to wait for inspections," he said.
He called the the entire experience "numbing." He replaced everything including the plumbing, the walls, the floor and bar stools.
More than two years later, a grand reopening was held on Oct. 24.
"We operate primarily at night. We're open at 6 p.m. most nights, earlier on the weekends and we provide DJs seven nights a week. We have a really intricate lighting system and sound system, DJs, smoke machine, whole entire nightclub experience," he said.
He said the USA-themed bar represents the American Dream and celebrates our country.
"My parents came here in 1981 from Poland. They escaped communism. I was a year old, so I'm an immigrant. They became citizens. They learned the language. They went to school, got degrees, bought a house. The literal American Dream is me and I just saw this as an opportunity to celebrate that, bring back that Florida spirit, that American spirit," he said.
Clearwater Beach Bar is located at 411 Mandalay Ave., Clearwater Beach.
Hours: Wednesday–Friday 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. | Saturday 4 p.m. to 3 a.m. | Sunday: Noon–3 AM
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